Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-19
WHY THE THISTLE WAS BEATEN.
An Englishman,s Views On the Recent
International Cup Contest

In the London Field OF the sth instant from q
correspondent who signs himself "kx-Commo-
dore, there appears . very interesting letter on
the recent international yacht race and the
reasons to which he attributes the volunteers
great success I'm speaking Of the capabilities Of
the two vessels the writer says:
"Any one who without prejudice calculated the
chances Of the volunteer and the Thistle In their
late race must have felt that, given equally good
jockeys, the former must win. why, prayf I am
asked For the very simple reason that the Vol.
unteer sailed. more or less, on her keel, ana the
difference between vessel sailing on her keel and
Tssss on her ds Is c he yoeh
siGner, displacement, surface, friction, host OF
sail, &C., arc all designed and calculated Tor yes
every degree tns vessels heels over. Til. at Ger
tain heel they entirely disappear, and indeed be
come actually inverted. The very lines and curves
upright become the greatest hindrance to her
when she Is sailing on her side.
"a heel Of degrees WIN seriously stoiuIy INC
degrees will destroy them entirely. The form pest
fitted to sail on its side Is knife with no lines
when a vessel is being driven through the water
on her side her finest lines and curves are useless
and the water resistance Is immensely increased;
sail power that results from vessel sailing on her
side, but this alone Is more than sumcientt 70 give
victory to the vessel that salts upright: Suppose
like; this hoist is directly diminished with every
degree she heels over; and not only Is the hoist
diminished still more. When a vessel is upright
the sail offers an upright resistance to the wind,
and presses the vessel forward. When she is heel
10 ing san
forward, presses her downward
"Any one who has sailed in yacht races knows
how completely q vessel loses her way whom she
lays down, and how Immediately she RECEIVERS It
when she stands up again. When vessel Is tear
Ing her way through me water On neI sHs
you fancy she is going very fast, but she Is not.
when the America first appeared On the Solent, q
She sails upfiSht," they said, and so indeed she
did. She sailed on her keel, while other vessels
sailed on their sides. l have not seen the Voun-
descriptions 1 have heard OF the two vessels that
the former sails far more upright than the latter.
Concerning the PROSPECTIVE Ss Ien next
fort being initiated, another challenge issued
Good! Competition Is the soul Of effort, and un-
less somebody tries for 1t we shall OF course have
but small chance OF seeing the cup once more on
this side Of the broad Atlantic. But, sir, do you
not think 1t would be just as well before Mr..
Sweet or any English yachtsman spends any more
money In the building OF a new competitor, to
consider what real chance OF success he has, so
long as the conditions Of the competition remain
as they are? II IL Is to be always contest be-
tween a Swimming dish with center-bOard and q
deep-keeled vessel, 1t seems to me we had better
cave In Tor good ana all. IL Is not WlCnln the
compass of human skill to devise a heavy
ballast-carrying vessel which shall, under ordi-
nary circumstances defeat one OF light draught,
but with sufficient stability TO carry an equal or
greater amount OF canvas in proportion TO ton
mage. The Americans can, OF course, impose what
conditions they like. They are cute enough to
know that, no matter what the size and power Of
the English yachts may be, they can build q skim
mer TO beat her. 1t Is question OF money, not Of
mould. We admit the unfairness OF the competi-
ton by not allowing It. Why are we fools enough to
engage In 1t? Nearly every yacht race is won by
superiority In getting to windward and In this the
center-board Is, and will be, matchless. Let the
conditions OF the race be made more fair, and then
hammer away until the crack of-bOom."